Houston Person

Peter Hand: Blue Topaz

by Jack Bowers
February 24, 2024

Peter Hand has a hand in almost everything on Blue Topaz, playing masterful guitar, writing seven of the album's ten engaging numbers and arranging all of them. He also spliced together a pair of blue-chip ensembles for his first small-group recording after three well-received big-band albums, and invited his longtime friend--and legendary tenor saxophonist--Houston Person to sit in on two tracks. Person had also guested on one of the guitarist's big-band recordings, Out of Hand (2014). Hand's ...

Emmet Cohen: Master Legacy Series Volume 5 Featuring Houston Person

by Mike Jurkovic
October 2, 2023

From its languid beginning, saxophonist Houston Person's own warmly engaging “Why Not?," to its closing, Etta James' slinky seduction “Sunday Kind of Love," Emmet Cohen's Master Legacy Series Vol. 5 Featuring Houston Person is a decidedly laid-back affair, unlike much of its predecessors which featured Jimmy Cobb, Ron Carter, George Coleman, Benny Golson and Albert “Tootie" Heath. Maybe that is just the eighty-eight year old Person's influence. His big tone and big presence fill the studio with a ...

Houston Person: Reminiscing at Rudy's

by Jack Bowers
November 29, 2022

The “Rudy's" in the title of tenor saxophonist Houston Person's album, Reminiscing at Rudy's, is not a nightclub or other such venue but the New Jersey studio of celebrated recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder who died in 2016. As befits reminiscing, the bulk of the album's numbers are tender ballads, every one of which lands squarely in Person's amorous wheelhouse. That is not to say the veteran tenor saxophone maestro—who has recorded almost seventy albums as leader ...

Eric Person: Blue Vision

by Jack Bowers
February 1, 2022

What are the odds that a Person who plays jazz saxophone would meet another Person who plays jazz saxophone, that they would become fast friends and find they were so musically compatible that they would not only perform together but decide to record an album featuring their two horns as the front line? Meet alto saxophonist Eric Person who in 2009 performed onstage for the first time with tenor saxophonist Houston Person, his senior by almost three decades but someone ...

Eric Person: Blue Vision

by Mike Jurkovic
January 27, 2022

A veteran of Chico Hamilton, Dave Holland, and The World Saxophone Quartet, saxophonist Eric Person knows a sweet gig when he plays one. This well earned and hard earned knowledge unequivocally guarantees that Blue Vision, Person's soulful homage to late night organ trios, church, and sax legendHouston Person, is about as cool a blue session that you'll hear any time in the near future. Blue Vision has one wafting in and out of the daily routine then returning ...

Various Artists: Putumayo Presents Jazz Christmas

by Jim Trageser
December 14, 2021

The Putumayo World Music compilations have achieved an enviable brand status with their wide-ranging stylistic variety and the distinctively cheerful covers by artist Lisa Gonzalez. The latest entry, Putumayo Presents Jazz Christmas joins previous entrants Putumayo Presents New Orleans Christmas (2007) and Putumayo Presents A Jazz & Blues Christmas (2008) in offering collections of holiday-themed entrants in a jazz vein. As with all of its jazz releases, Putumayo founder and curator Dan Storper's taste in jazz ...

Houston Person: Live in Paris

by Jack Bowers
November 17, 2021

The greatest jazz musicians have one trait in common; they make everything sound so ridiculously easy that listeners are liable to lose sight of the blood, sweat and tears which brought them to that pinnacle. Tenor saxophonist Houston Person, an octogenarian who keeps sidestepping every obstacle including Father Time, is one such master; regardless of groove or tempo, he seems perfectly at home, never letting an audience see him sweat, even on flag-wavers such as “Lester Leaps In," one of ...

Jazz Musician of the Day: Houston Person

Source: Michael Ricci
November 10, 2022

All About Jazz is celebrating Houston Person's birthday today!

Houston Person wears the Boss Tenor crown, worn so long by Gene Ammons. Mr. Person is busy working his own gigs; booking his tours, finding new clubs, having phone numbers for every major concert promoter on every continent. He even produces his own albums. His first big break came while working as a sideman with organist Johnny Hammond and his group, co-led by Etta Jones. Mr. Person's working relationship with Ms. ...
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The Django Announces December Schedule Featuring Dr. Lonnie Smith Tributes, Holidays With Duchess, Orrin Evans, New Year's Eve With Houston Person, And More

Source: AMT Public Relations
November 17, 2021

The Django, downtown Manhattan’s premier jazz club, offers an impressive month of music with jazz legends and rising stars. Today’s leading artists gather on The Django stage to celebrate NEA Jazz Master Dr. Lonnie Smith in special back-to-back tribute concerts 12/9. Two leading pianists make their Django debut: Benito Gonzalez 12/3 followed by Orrin Evans 12/8 leading his new Brazilian project “Terreno Comun”. The holidays are in full swing with festive concerts by Charles Turner & Uptown Swing Dance 12/11, ...
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Jazz Musician of the Day: Houston Person

Source: Michael Ricci
November 10, 2021

All About Jazz is celebrating Houston Person's birthday today!

Houston Person wears the Boss Tenor crown, worn so long by Gene Ammons. Mr. Person is busy working his own gigs; booking his tours, finding new clubs, having phone numbers for every major concert promoter on every continent. He even produces his own albums. His first big break came while working as a sideman with organist Johnny Hammond and his group, co-led by Etta Jones. Mr. Person's working relationship with Ms. ...
read more

Jazz Musician of the Day: Houston Person

Source: Michael Ricci
November 10, 2020

All About Jazz is celebrating Houston Person's birthday today!

Houston Person wears the Boss Tenor crown, worn so long by Gene Ammons. Mr. Person is busy working his own gigs; booking his tours, finding new clubs, having phone numbers for every major concert promoter on every continent. He even produces his own albums. His first big break came while working as a sideman with organist Johnny Hammond and his group, co-led by Etta Jones. Mr. Person's working relationship with Ms. ...
read more

Jazz Musician of the Day: Houston Person

Source: Michael Ricci
November 10, 2019

All About Jazz is celebrating Houston Person's birthday today!

Houston Person wears the Boss Tenor crown, worn so long by Gene Ammons. Mr. Person is busy working his own gigs; booking his tours, finding new clubs, having phone numbers for every major concert promoter on every continent. He even produces his own albums. His first big break came while working as a sideman with organist Johnny Hammond and his group, co-led by Etta Jones. Mr. Person\'s working relationship with Ms... ...
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An all-star night in Sarasota

Source: Ken Franckling's Jazz Notes
March 12, 2019

The 39th annual Sarasota Jazz Festival wrapped up Saturday night, March 9, with honors for a festival frequent flier, rarely heard combinations of all-star performers – and a healthy dose of Duke Ellington. Tenor saxophonist Houston Person, a distinctive balladeer whose playing is steeped in soul jazz, received the Jazz Club of Sarasota’s Satchmo Award. The organization has been awarding it since 1987 to honorees who have made a “unique and enduring contribution to the living history of jazz.” The ...
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Jack Kleinsinger’s Highlights In Jazz New York’s Longest Running Jazz Concert Series Announces Highlights in Jazz’s 46th Anniversary Gala, February 28, 2019

Source: Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services
January 30, 2019

Long-time Highlights In Jazz favorites Houston Person, Daryl Sherman, Warren Vaché, Norman Simmons, and many more will be on hand for the celebration. Plus, surprise special guest. Each year, savvy jazz fans look forward to the annual Highlights In Jazz series. For almost a half century, the Jack Kleinsinger-produced events have brought together a multitude of beloved jazz musicians spanning an eclectic mix of generations and styles. The 2019 season is no exception, with four stellar concerts featuring some of ...
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Jazz Musician of the Day: Houston Person

Source: Michael Ricci
November 10, 2018

All About Jazz is celebrating Houston Person's birthday today!

Houston Person wears the Boss Tenor crown, worn so long by Gene Ammons. Mr. Person is busy working his own gigs; booking his tours, finding new clubs, having phone numbers for every major concert promoter on every continent. He even produces his own albums. His first big break came while working as a sideman with organist Johnny Hammond and his group, co-led by Etta Jones. Mr. Person\'s working relationship with Ms... ...
read more

Jazz Musician of the Day: Houston Person

Source: Michael Ricci
November 10, 2017

All About Jazz is celebrating Houston Person's birthday today!

Houston Person wears the Boss Tenor crown, worn so long by Gene Ammons. Mr. Person is busy working his own gigs; booking his tours, finding new clubs, having phone numbers for every major concert promoter on every continent. He even produces his own albums. His first big break came while working as a sideman with organist Johnny Hammond and his group, co-led by Etta Jones. Mr. Person\'s working relationship with Ms... ...
read more

Jazz this week: Houston Person, Nevermore Jazz Ball, Eric Marienthal, and more

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman
November 1, 2017

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis includes one of the most popular swing dance festivals in the Midwest, a couple of stellar saxophonists, and more. Let's go to the highlights... Wednesday, November 1 Veteran tenor saxophonist Houston Person returns to lead a quartet for the first of four nights at Jazz at the Bistro. Person, who will turn 83 in November, remains a canny master of bop, blues and ballads, and still works as ...
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